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“Thank you.” Why are you being so nice to me? I know you want to let me go.
He tightened the grip he had on her forearm slightly. In a low tone he added, “What can’t wait is the reason you were crying, and why you’re angry with me.”
She couldn’t quite speak, shrugging in lieu of an answer.
“Tell me.”
“I don’t have time right now, okay?” They both glanced in Ari’s direction. Her impatience was written all over her body language. Sven tapped her sister on the shoulder, distracting her and buying them a little bit more time.
Warrick let her arm go, facing her to him. He tightened his grip on her shoulders. “I understand that you need to go. But still, I hate to end our conversation like this. I want to know what’s wrong. Is it something between us? Is that why you left my house this morning like your ass was on fire?”
She pushed out a long sigh. “Even the highlights of that coming talk would take way too long.” She glanced over her shoulder. Now partly engaged with Sven, Ari was still bouncing back and forth on the balls of her feet like she was about to take flight.
Warrick pulled her close into his loose embrace, kissing her forehead as if to say, “Everything will be okay.”
Isabelle inhaled deeply, wondering if his phone call this morning had been to a family member. Should she mention it now?
She mentally shook her head. She had plenty of time to reveal that tidbit. It was the long conversation that was going to happen between them anyway. Right now wasn’t the time with her long lost sister about to punch holes in the floor with her feet.
Besides, Warrick was being so intimate with her. Touching her, kissing her forehead, acting like they were an item, meanwhile she’d spent the entire damn day certain he was seconds away from breaking up the next time they met.
Warrick said in a steady voice, “Whatever is wrong, let’s at least talk about it, okay? I feel like you are pulling away. That’s not what I want.”
Isabelle wasn’t sure she could believe him, but wanted to doubt the conclusions she’d drawn this morning. “I don’t have time to discuss this right now, Warrick.”
“Discuss what? At least give me a hint.”
“Fine. I overheard your phone call this morning. I didn’t mean to, but I did. There it is. Now you know. However, we’ll have to discuss it later.” She gestured to her antsy sister across the room.
His brows furrowed. He frowned as if confused at first then under his breath he said, “Fuck.” His gaze zeroed in on her like a smart bomb about to detonate.
“Izzy. Come on.”
Isabelle moved toward her sister, but Warrick held her fast. “Wait. Please. I beg of you. Wait. That call. Whatever I said. I don’t even remember it exactly.” He shook his head forcefully. “What you heard. It wasn’t what you thought it was. Not at all. Please let me explain.”
Isabelle saw the truth of his statement in his panic. She nodded. “Fine. Good. I believe you. But I have to go. My dinner break is limited.” She broke away from his strong grasp.
He followed. “Come over to my house after work later tonight.”
She stopped and wheeled around. “I get off at two in the morning.”
He shrugged. “So? Take the underground tunnel over to the compound. I’ll give you the codes to access it along with my house code to get in when you call me later.” He grinned. “Then you can snuggle up to me in bed and even wake me up if you’d like.”
Isabelle was well aware the owners had a fairly secret tunnel leading from the Old West Town amusement park to the private, heavily guarded compound five miles away. There were supposedly golf carts available for travel to and from the compound.
She’d wanted to be included in that secret pact so much she could hardly think through his perfectly generous offer.
“Isabelle,” Ari called out loudly from across the room, motioning her to hurry.
Warrick gave her sister his stern prosecutor look over one shoulder. He then turned to her and then kissed her full on the mouth in front of everyone in the bar—the patronage quickly began hooting and hollering as they embraced.
He finally released her mouth and said, “Don’t forget. Call me when you get back to work tonight after you’ve spoken to your sister. I’ll ensure you have the codes that you need to use the tunnel.
“Colton is spending the evening with a mare about to have a difficult birth, but the two of us will chat. No matter what time it is. Okay? I want to straighten everything out. Please at least allow me to do that in the immediate future.”
